流行美语 (Popular American) 307

李华在咖啡馆跟Larry见面。今天我们要学两个常用语： taking stock和dead tired.

LH: Larry, 这两天还好吗？

LL: I'm doing pretty well. How are you?

LH: 还可以，就是这个周末有好多功课要做，肯定会忙得不得开交。

LL: I know how that goes. I am taking stock of all the errands¹ I need to run this weekend.

LH: Taking stock是什么意思？

LL: Taking stock means to step back from a situation and try to look at the whole picture. In this case it means the same thing as collecting one's thoughts.

LH: 我知道了，taking stock就是纵观全局，全面考虑。你是说我应该从整体出发，安排所有要做的事情。

LL: Exactly! When you take stock of a situation, you think about it more clearly as a whole.

LH: 你刚才说，这个周末你也有一大堆事情要做。What things are you taking stock of?

LL: This weekend I have to go to the dry-cleaners; drop off some mail at the post office; wash my car; and pick up some groceries. I don't think it will take too long.

LH: 看起来，你已经taking stock of the situation，把所有要做的事情都安排好了。

LL: Yes, taking stock of what I need to do certainly helps put things in perspective and lets me realize how to best go about getting things done.

LH: 下星期上课前，我要完成两篇论文，有三篇文章要读，还要借同学的笔记，把上星期生病缺席的功课补上。

LL: It certainly sounds like you have quite a bit of work to do.

LH: 不过，我肯定能完成，特别是如今在你的帮助下，把思路全部整理清楚了，我准备在图书馆泡上一整天，不完成作业绝不出来。

LL: That's the spirit.

******

星期天晚上，Larry和李华一起吃晚饭。

LL: So Li Hua, did you get everything done?

LH: 做是做完了，可我现在连说话的力气都没有了。

LL: Yeah, I did a lot today too, and now I'm dead tired.

LH: Dead tired? 意思应该是特别累吧？

LL: I am so tired it feels like I'm dying. Chinese has similar expressions, right?

LH: 有啊，可以直接翻译成“累死了”。

LL: Since I am dead tired, what do you say we just order a pizza for dinner?

LH: 双手赞成！我整整一个周末都是在图书馆里度过的。

LL: That sounds exhausting, but are you done now?

LH: 总算是把功课都做完了，今天晚上可以好好休息一下，明天早上去上课就好了。

LL: That sounds like a smart idea. Here let me call in the order.

******

LH: Larry, 你说，这么热的天，烤比萨饼的人多辛苦，they must be dead tired from working in the heat.

LL: The person who answered the phone did sound dead tired. At least we will be able to eat soon though.

LH: 这个周末可真是一个名副其实的工作的周末。

LL: I agree, there sure was a lot to do. Hopefully I can get a good night's sleep tonight so that I am not dead tired at work tomorrow.

LH: Yes, me too. 上次熬夜复习功课，第二天虽然dead tired, 但还是硬挺着去上课，结果整堂课都是睡过来的。

LL: Oh, I've experienced that before. I guess that's the result of exhaustive research.

LH: 还说呢，这个周末我在图书馆里看到好多人都累得不行，索性趴在图书馆的桌子上呼呼大睡。

LL: I believe it. There have even been meetings at work where someone is so dead tired that they drift off to sleep.

LH: 老实说，你开会睡没睡过觉？

LL: No, definitely not. I've been dead tired before, but I avoid falling asleep in a meeting no matter what.

LH: 说起来容易，我也不想上课睡觉，可有时候实在是太累了，一闭眼就睡着了。

(Door Bell)

LL: It sounds like the pizza is here!

LH: Great!

今天李华学了两个常用语。一个是taking stock，意思是全面考虑。另一个是dead tired，意思是累死了。
 

1 errands   

n.errand的复数；差使( errand的名词复数 )；差事

参考例句：

• He often runs errands for his grandmother. 他经常给他的祖母跑腿儿。
• I have a few errands to do in the town. 我在城里有些差事要办。 来自《简明英汉词典》